Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 234 / Thursday, December 7, 2023 / Notices 85207 

1The World Organization for Animal Health 

internationally follows a British English spelling of 

‘‘organisation’’ in its name; also, it was formerly the 

Office International des Epizooties, or OIE, but on 

May 28, 2022, the Organization announced that the 

acronym was changed from OIE to WOAH. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2023–0071] 

Addition of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

and Kosovo to the List of Regions 

Affected by African Swine Fever 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that we have added Bosnia and 

Herzegovina and Kosovo to the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) list maintained on the APHIS 

website of regions considered to be 

affected with African swine fever (ASF). 

We have taken this action because of the 

confirmation of ASF in those countries. 

DATES: Bosnia and Herzegovina was 

added to the APHIS list of regions 

considered affected with ASF effective 

June 26, 2023. Kosovo was added to the 

APHIS list of regions considered 

affected with ASF effective August 7, 

2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Heather Sriranganathan, APHIS 

Veterinary Services, Regionalization 

Evaluation Services, 4700 River Road, 

Riverdale, MD, 20747; phone: (717) 

818–3582; email: AskRegionalization@

usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to 

below as the regulations) govern the 

importation of specified animals and 

animal products to prevent the 

introduction into the United States of 

various animal diseases, including 

African swine fever (ASF). ASF is a 

highly contagious disease of wild and 

domestic swine that can spread rapidly 

with extremely high rates of morbidity 

and mortality. A list of regions where 

ASF exists or is reasonably believed to 

exist is maintained on the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ 

aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animaland-animal-product-importinformation/animal-health-status-ofregions/. This list is referenced in 

§ 94.8(a)(2) of the regulations. 

Section 94.8(a)(3) of the regulations 

states that APHIS will add a region to 

the list referenced in § 94.8(a)(2) upon 

determining ASF exists in the region or 

having reason to believe the disease 

exists in the region, based on reports 

APHIS receives of outbreaks of the 

disease from veterinary officials of the 

exporting country, from the World 

Organization for Animal Health 

(WOAH),1 or from other sources the 

Administrator determines to be reliable, 

or upon determining that there is reason 

to believe the disease exists in the 

region. Section 94.8(a)(1) of the 

regulations specifies the criteria on 

which the Administrator bases the 

reason to believe ASF exists in a region. 

Section 94.8(b) prohibits the 

importation of pork and pork products 

from regions listed in accordance with 

§ 94.8 except if processed and treated in 

accordance with the provisions 

specified in that section or consigned to 

an APHIS-approved establishment for 

further processing. Section 96.2 restricts 

the importation of swine casings that 

originated in or were processed in a 

region where ASF exists, as listed under 

§ 94.8(a). 

On June 22, 2023, the veterinary 

authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

reported to WOAH the occurrence of 

ASF in that country. In response to that 

report, on June 26, 2023, APHIS added 

Bosnia and Herzegovina to the list of 

regions where ASF exists or the 

Administrator has reason to believe that 

ASF exists, in compliance with 

§ 94.8(a)(3). This notice serves as an 

official record and public notification of 

that action. 

On July 17, 2023, the veterinary 

authorities of Kosovo reported to the 

European Commission the confirmation 

of ASF in that country. In response to 

the European Union’s Animal Diseases 

Information System report, on August 7, 

2023, APHIS added Kosovo to the list of 

regions where ASF exists or the 

Administrator has reason to believe that 

ASF exists, in compliance with 

§ 94.8(a)(3). This notice serves as an 

official record and public notification of 

that action. 

As a result, pork and pork products 

from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 

Kosovo, including casings, are subject to 

APHIS import restrictions designed to 

mitigate the risk of ASF introduction 

into the United States. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701–7772, 

7781–7786, and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 

136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 

2.22, 2.80, and 371.4. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 1st day of 

December 2023. 

Michael Watson, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–26865 Filed 12–6–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service 

[Docket No. RBS–23–BUSINESS–0027] 

Business and Industry (B&I) Priority 

Scoring Notice for Fiscal Year 2024 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBCS), Rural 

Housing Service (RHS), and the Rural 

Utilities Service (RUS), agencies of the 

Rural Development (RD) mission area 

within the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter 

collectively referred to as the Agency, 

offer loan guarantees through four 

programs: Community Facilities (CF) 

administered by the RHS; Water and 

Waste Disposal (WWD) administered by 

the RUS; and Business and Industry 

(B&I) and Rural Energy for America 

Program (REAP) administered by the 

RBCS. This notice is establishing a 

minimum priority score of 20 points, 

not including administrative points, for 

B&I loan guarantees for Fiscal Year (FY) 

2024, to be used when applying for 

guaranteed loans. This notice is being 

published prior to the passage of an FY 

2024 appropriation. 

DATES: The minimum priority score in 

this notice is effective October 1, 2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information specific to this notice 

contact Brenda Griffin, Chief, 

Underwriting Branch, Rural BusinessCooperative Service, Rural 

Development, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–1522. Telephone: (202) 720– 

6802. Email: Brenda.Griffin@usda.gov. 

For information regarding 

implementation, contact your respective 

Rural Development State Office listed 

here: http://www.rd.usda.gov/browsestate. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with 7 CFR 5001.315(c)(2), 

for FY 2024 the Agency is establishing 

a minimum priority score of 20 points, 

not including administrative points, for 

B&I loan guarantees due to strong 

demand for program funds. Priority 

points for B&I loan guarantee 

applications will be awarded in 

accordance with the priorities outlined 

in 7 CFR 5001.318, B&I Priority Point 

System. At the time of application, 

lenders must provide necessary 

information related to determining the 

priority score. To the greatest extent 

possible, lenders should consider the 

established priorities of the Agency 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
85208 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 234 / Thursday, December 7, 2023 / Notices 

when submitting projects for a loan 

guarantee. All applications that meet the 

minimum priority score will be 

processed on an ongoing basis and 

funds will be awarded continuously 

through August 30, 2024, subject to the 

availability of funding. 

Beginning on September 3, 2024, all 

remaining unfunded B&I applications 

will compete for funds remaining after 

all state allocations are pooled into the 

National Office. Applications that do 

not meet the minimum applicable score 

will be allowed to compete in this 

funding competition if funding remains 

available. Any applications that remain 

unfunded after the funding competition 

will be handled as described in 7 CFR 

5001.315(e). 

Administrative Points 

In the event there are not enough 

funds available to fund all applications 

during the funding competition 

beginning on September 3, 2024, 

projects that have a tie score can be 

awarded administrative points as 

outlined in 7 CFR 5001.318(e). These 

Administrative points will be awarded 

to applications that help meet the 

FY2024 Rural Development Priorities to; 

1. Assist rural communities to recover 

economically through more and better 

market opportunities and through 

improved infrastructure. 

2. Ensure all rural residents have 

equitable access to RD programs and 

benefits from RD funded projects. 

3. Reduce climate pollution and 

increase resilience to the impacts of 

climate change through economic 

support for rural communities. 

The Agency will verify that the 

project is located in an area that 

addresses these three priorities using 

the maps at https://www.rd.usda.gov/ 

priority-points/rural-developmentpriorities-fy-2024. If a tie remains, the 

Agency will give priority to the project 

that will create and/or save the most 

jobs. 

Non-Discrimination Statement 

In accordance with Federal civil 

rights law and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its 

agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or 

administering USDA Programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family/ 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political 

beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior 

civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means of communication for 

program information (e.g., Braille, large 

print, audiotape, American Sign 

Language, etc.) should contact the 

responsible Agency or USDA through 

the 711 Relay Service. Program 

information may be made available in 

languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination 

complaint, a complainant should 

complete a Form, AD–3027, USDA 

Program Discrimination Complaint 

Form, which can be obtained online at 

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/ 

files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any 

USDA office, by calling (866) 632–9992, 

or by writing a letter addressed to 

USDA. The letter must contain the 

complainant’s name, address, telephone 

number, and a written description of the 

alleged discriminatory action in 

sufficient detail to inform the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about 

the nature and date of an alleged civil 

rights violation. The completed AD– 

3027 form or letter must be submitted to 

USDA by: 

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410; or 

(2) Fax: (833) 256–1665 or (202)690– 

7442; or 

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Karama Neal, 

Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA Rural Development. 

[FR Doc. 2023–26802 Filed 12–6–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Office of the Secretary 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Generic Clearance Program 

Performance Progress Reports 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, 

Department of Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection, 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to comment on 

proposed, and continuing information 

collections, which helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow for 60 days of public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before February 5, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments by 

mail to the Department PRA Clearance 

Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 

Economic Affairs, at PRAcomments@

doc.gov. Do not submit Confidential 

Business Information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

specific questions related to collection 

activities should be directed to S. 

Dumas, Department PRA Clearance 

Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 

Economic Affairs, at 1401 Constitution 

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, 

(202) 482–3306, or PRAcomments@

doc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This is a request for a new generic 

clearance to collect performance and 

progress data from recipients and subrecipients who receive funding from 

DOC under a discretionary grant or 

cooperative agreement. This information 

is required to monitor and report 

program performance. 

DOC provides grants that promote the 

economic and social well-being of 

individuals and communities with 

partnerships, funding, guidance, 

training, and technical assistance. 

Currently, most program offices are 

using the standard grant forms (SF) for 

progress reporting, which require 

grantees to only respond to a common 

set of questions that often solicits 

incomplete information. This one-sizefits-all approach does not adequately 

collect the specific data needed for 

particular grant programs or allow 

program offices to assess continuous 

quality improvement. Different grant 

programs vary in purpose, target 

population, and activities. Thus, a need 

for program offices to customize 

performance measurements has been 

identified. 

Therefore, this generic Program 

Specific Performance Progress Report 

collection is being proposed. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1